


A Sorta Fairytale

by Crimsoncat



Category: Warehouse 13
Genre: F/F, On Hiatus, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-09-25
Updated: 2013-10-18
Packaged: 2017-12-27 15:21:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/980490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crimsoncat/pseuds/Crimsoncat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All it took was an artifact to get them to admit there was more than friendship between them. They had no way of knowing they were under the influence of more than one. It's the second artifact, the one they don't know about, that threatens everything.</p><p>I'm not great when it comes to summaries. Also? I hate naming things. With the passion of a thousand burning suns. This is going to be a bumpy ride. Buckle up!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like I should start this with a warning. I haven't actually finished a chapter fic in .. more years than I care to think about. But my muse seems to be attached to Bering & Wells, so I'm hoping she'll see this one through! *fingers crossed!*
> 
> No beta, please be forgiving. Title comes from a Tori Amos song.

Claudia was a genius. In every sense of the word. She was also charming, had a sharp sense of humor, and impeccable fashion sense. She was a complex individual with a number of layers to her personality. But at this particular moment in time, Artie had trouble seeing Claudia as anything other than irritating.

"For the last time Claudia, no!" Artie exclaimed in frustration.

"How am I supposed to train to be a warehouse agent if you never let me  **out** of the warehouse!" Claudia continued her argument, ignoring Artie's outburst. "I haven't gone on a mission in _four_ months!"

Artie pinched the bridge of his nose. He could almost feel the headache forming. They had been fighting about this for the past 20 minutes. Pete, Myka, and H.G were headed to London to investigate a ping. H.G was only going because Myka had insisted her expertise and knowledge of the area would come in handy, and Myka could also be irritatingly persistent when she set her mind to something. Artie had caved after the first 5 minutes. When Claudia found out she was the only one being left behind, she'd gone looking for Artie to plead her case. 20 minutes later and she was still pleading.

"Fine!" Artie threw his hands up in defeat. "You can go! Pay attention, learn things, stay out of trouble!"

Claudia released a very high pitched squeal of excitement, throwing her arms around him. "Thank you thank you thank you!"

Artie gave Claudia's arm a pat before prying her off him. "Go, before I change my mind!"

Claudia practically skipped out the umbilicus door. Artie turned his attention to Leena, who looked just a little bit too amused for his liking.

"What?" He snapped, irritable after being harassed for 20 minutes.

"Nothing." Leena smiled at him. "I just wanted to make sure you'll be ok here for a few weeks without me."

"You will be missed," Artie sighed, his tone relaxing. "But we will be fine."

Leena would be heading home next week for a little while. Her mother had slipped while getting out of the shower, breaking her arm in the fall. She insisted she was fine, but Leena and her sister were still going home to help out. Leena was planning on being gone for at least three weeks.

Leena headed towards the umbilicus, stopping in the doorway to turn back to Artie. "You know, my sister and I used to be able to talk our father into anything too." She flashed him a bright smile before disappearing out the door.

Artie turned back to his computer, muttering to himself as booked another two seats on the plane to London.

 

* * *

 

It was many hours after they landed in London that the group of agents had the leisure of seeking out their hotel. They had gone straight from the exhausting plane ride, and right into the chase. They were looking for a letter. One single piece of paper in a bustling city filled to overflowing with people. Thankfully, this particular letter left an obvious path in it's wake.

Artie couldn't pinpoint exactly which letter they were looking for, there were quite literally thousands out in the world at any given time. Letters of love, longing, loss, and fury. Though there weren't any actual statistics, it seemed letters were one of the most likely items to become an artifact. The raw emotion trapped on the page rather easily morphing into something powerful enough to bring the most stoic individual to their knees. But, though he couldn't name exactly which letter they were on the trail of, it was obviously a love letter of some kind.

The artifact in question seemed to release any pent up feelings of longing hidden within an individual. Thankfully, with it being the month of February, the local media was making the tracking of the artifact rather easy. Only a week away from Valentine's Day, the story of long denied loves flourishing captivated the attention of the city. Ratings skyrocketed as reporters tracked these events. Unfortunately, even though they'd split up to try and cover more ground, the agents seemed to always be just a step behind. After a long day of chasing leads, after an extended plane ride, and battling the effects of jet lag, they finally threw in the towel for the night.

Myka was reporting their lack of progress to Artie as she and Claudia waited outside their hotel for Pete and H.G to arrive. Artie promised to keep them posted if anything turned up, and Myka closed the farnsworth as Pete and Helena appeared around the corner. They dragged themselves to the front desk to check in, where they were slapped in the face by a reality none of them had even paused to consider.

With such sweet romantic stories filtering out of the capitol, London was experiencing an influx of tourists. Check in had been hours ago, and the hotel hadn't kept their reservation of four rooms. Thankfully, due to a last minute cancellation, there were two rooms left available. They were honestly too tired to care, and accepted the room keys happily. They were conveniently located on the same floor, just across the hall from one another. The would have to double up, but at this point the inconvenience was barely a blip on their radar. Without needing to discuss it they divided automatically. Pete and Claudia took one room, Myka and H.G the other. They would part ways to freshen up after the ridiculously long day, and planned to reconvene over room service and discuss their next move.

Claudia collapsed onto the bed closest to the door, groaning loudly.

"Dude, I am *exhausted*." Claudia complained, her voice muffled by the pillow she'd faceplanted into. "I don't think I will ever complain about being left behind again."

"What, and miss all this?" Pete chuckled.

Claudia missed his remark completely, having quickly fallen asleep. Not wanting the younger agent to suffocate in her sleep, Pete rolled her onto her side before slipping into the bathroom for a quick shower.

Across the hall, the other agents were met with a completely different room. Rather than the two single beds that Pete and Claudia's room sported, there was a single king sized bed in the middle of the large room. There was also a small seating area off to the side, in front of the T.V. Helena stopped in the entryway, but Myka continued into the room unconcerned. Sitting down on the bed she kicked off her shoes before falling back onto the mattress, releasing a sigh of contentment.

"Do you want to shower first?" Myka offered her roommate first dibs on the washroom as she contemplated writing off the rest of the evening and curling up to go to sleep.

When Helena didn't answer Myka propped herself up on her elbows, taking in the inventor still standing by the door. Myka tilted her head, frowning slightly.  
"Is something wrong?"

Helena blinked, her attention focusing on the younger woman lounging on the bed.  
"No, of course not." Helena smiled at her. "Not a thing."

 

* * *

 

Not too much later, they were all lounging around the seating area in the larger room enjoying the room service. The television was on, turned to the local news, though truthfully it was little more than background noise as the agents ate. Myka happened to be looking at the T.V when the anchorman segued into a piece on the love stories sweeping the city. She set her food aside as she watched, feeling as if there was an idea just beyond her reach. Myka absently swatted Pete's wandering hand away from her plate, frowning as a thought formed.

"How are they finding out about these so quickly?" Myka wondered aloud as the reporter interviewed a couple affected just a couple hours earlier.

"Ey eesh ey knoo." Pete spoke around a mouthful of food.

H.G shook her head sadly.  
"I understood that." She said, gesturing vaguely towards Pete. "What are you people doing to me?"

Claudia laughed, reaching for the laptop she'd brought into the room with her earlier. After a few moments the hacker held up her hand for a high-five.  
"Score one for Myka!"

Myka high-fived her with a grin before turning back to her food. Helena gestured towards the redhead with her fork, encouraging Claudia to enlighten them.

"Mister reporter man has interviewing each pair affected by the artifact within three hours. Tops. In one case, he was in their face with a camera crew before they'd even stopped.. er.. expressing themselves." Claudia blushed at the image on her computer screen, earning a round of amused looks from the older agents.

"Perhaps we should pay him a visit." Helena suggested.

Claudia was already typing away. It was just a few moments before she had the reporter's home address, as well as the address of the tv station. The hacker glanced up from the computer in time to see Pete help himself to some of the food on her plate.

"Pete!" Claudia exclaimed.

Pete flashed her an apologetic grin. "Sorry Claud, I'm _starving_."

"If we strike early enough, perhaps we can catch him before he has a chance to leave his home." Helena mused, absently handing her plate to Pete. Pete threw his arms up in a silent cheer before devouring her leftovers.

"Ank'oo." He managed.

Helena shuddered. "If you wish to thank me, you will stop doing that in my presence. Really Pete, it's a disgusting habit."

Myka yawned loudly. "Alright, we will ambush him bright and early. Good plan. Get out." She nudged Pete with her foot.

Pete polished off the rest of Helena's meal before getting to his feet. He helped Claudia up off the floor, turning to give Myka a mock salute. "Whatever you say, partner." Myka gave him a playful shove towards the door.

 

* * *

 

The alarm went off bright and early, making Helena groan in protest. She hated the obnoxious buzzing of modern day alarm clocks. She found it such a horrific way to start the morning. Helena forcefully slapped the button on top of the blasted device, happy once it stopped it's racket. She took a moment to stretch her muscles before turning to regard her bedmate. Myka slept on, blissfully unaware of the alarm clock's screeching. Helena smiled, charmed at the sight of the younger agent first thing in the morning. With a gentle hand Helena brushed the sleep tousled curls back from Myka's face.

"Rise and shine, dearest." Helena murmured.

Myka made what might have been the cutest sound Helena had ever heard before turning towards the inventor and nestling against her chest. Helena froze, her heart clenching. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around the other woman, and nestle back under the thick comforter. She was very aware of Myka's body, pressed up against her own. And her thoughts quickly turned less than pure as Myka shifted against her. With a deep breath to calm her suddenly racing heart, Helena gave the younger woman's shoulder a slight shake. Myka blinked sleepily, yawning loudly before rolling onto her back, completely unaware of her friend's state.

"Morning." Myka's voice was deliciously rough with sleep, something that did nothing to help Helena reign in her baser instincts.

The older agent took the opportunity to sit up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. She sat there for a moment, with her back to the other woman, making sure her voice was steady when she spoke.

"Did you sleep well, darling?" Helena inquired.

"Yes. Very well." Myka couldn't remember the last time she had felt so well rested.

Helena stood, stretching her arms above her head as an excuse to delay turning around. With her back to Myka, however, she missed the way the younger woman's eyes roamed her body before Myka forced herself to avert her gaze. By the time Helena turned around, they were both a bit more in control

 

* * *

 

To increase their chances of catching the reporter, they once again split up. Myka and Pete hit the tv station, leaving Helena and Claudia to try and ambush him at his home. It was still early enough in the day that they were confident he would be at one of the two locations. The sun was barely above the horizon when Helena and Claudia drove up to the house. Claudia whistled in appreciation. It was an impressive estate.

The door was answered by the reporter's wife. She gave them an inquiring, if guarded, look. "Yes?"

"Is David Evans home?" Helena asked, flashing her most charming smile.

She frowned ever so slightly. "What is this regarding?"

"We have some information pertaining to the recent love stories sweeping the city. Perhaps he might be interested in a lead?"

She regarded them for another moment before stepping back to let them in. They tried to subtly investigate their surroundings as Mrs. Evans lead them through the house. She let them into the study, favoring the women with a slight smile. "Please, make yourselves at home. I will let him know you're here."

Claudia pulled a pair of purple gloves from her coat pocket as soon as she was gone, tugging them on before going to rummage through the papers on the desk. Helena stayed near the door, listening for the sound of footsteps in the hallway. She picked a small ivory bull carving up off the bookshelf, turning it over in her hands to admire the craftsmanship before returning it to it's home. Helena tugged on her own purple gloves and ruffled through some of the papers on the bookshelf.

A frustrated sigh brought Helena's attention back to the young woman ransacking the desk.  
"I don't see it, H.G."

"What do you think you're doing?"

Helena jumped at the sudden voice behind her. The reporter had managed to sneak up on her, something that wasn't particularly easy to do. Claudia had the decency to appear chastised, and Helena gave him an embarrassed smile.

"David Evans?" She waited for him to nod before continuing. "We're here on a matter of some urgency. You wouldn't happen to have recently acquired a letter? A love letter of some kind?"

She didn't miss the panic that flashed across his face, or the way his eyes darted to a spot behind her. Helena could hear Claudia moving, hopefully going to the hiding spot he'd been so kind to point out to them.

"Got it!" Claudia exclaimed happily. She went to join Helena by the door, handing the older agent the piece of paper.

Helena barely had time to glance at the letter before the reporter ripped it out of her hands.  
"Bloody hell!" Helena hissed as the paper sliced through her glove and into the meat of her finger, giving her a nasty paper cut.

Evans, eyes wide, clutched the letter to his chest protectively. Helena clamped down on the desire to pull out her tesla and shoot him. Claudia, however, didn't clamp down on anything. The redhead whipped out her mini tesla, her eyes narrowing at the reporter. He threw his hands up instinctively, dropping the letter without a second thought. It fluttered to their feet. Helena frowned as she bent to retrieve it.

"Please, I was only trying to bring a bit of happiness into people's lives. I haven't done anything wrong!" Evans' eyes were locked on the small firearm. "So what if I was trying to boost our ratings at the same time? Where is the harm in that! You can't shoot me for being ambitious!"

Claudia rolled her eyes.  
"No one is going to shoot you. Unless you do something stupid, like try to stop us from leaving with that letter!"

"No, no, take it! It's all yours."

"Marvelous." Helena barely spared another glance in his direction as she left the study and headed towards the front door.

Claudia rushed to catch up. They thankfully did not encounter his wife on their way out, and H.G wasted no time in getting them out of there. The last thing they needed was an encounter with the local police.

Once the estate was behind them, Claudia pulled out her farnsworth to call the others. Myka looked thoroughly irritated.  
"He's not here." She reported.

"Not to worry, H.G and I have it." Claudia grinned. "We're headed back to the hotel now."

"Fantastic!" Myka's face lit up at the news. "Great work, guys! We'll see you soon."

Closing the farnsworth, Claudia turned her attention to the time traveler. She still looked very irritated. Claudia blinked, her eyes skipping to Helena's finger.  
"Uh.. H.G?"

"Hmm?" Helena spared a quick glance in Claudia's direction before focusing on the road once more.

"Your.. uh.. paper cut? How worried are we? Because you don't seem worried at all."

Helena frowned.  
"What are you talking about?"

"Your gloves. The paper cut went right through your gloves."

Helena's eyes widened in shock. She slammed on the breaks, turning to focus all of her attention on Claudia.

"Jesus! You can't stop in the middle of the road like that!" Claudia yelped, glancing behind them nervously. Thankfully it wasn't a road so much as a small side street. And it was still early enough in the day that their car was the only one on it.

Claudia, satisfied that they weren't going to get rear ended, turned to look at H.G. There was an intense look on the older woman's face as she thought about what Claudia has just said. It took a few minutes, but the look of horror that slowly grew on Helena's face told Claudia exactly how worried they needed to be.

"Maybe paper cuts don't count?" She offered meekly.

"Of course it'll count! It's still direct contact with an artifact." The horror was swiftly morphing into panic.

Claudia glanced down at the letter in her hand.

"Man, this guy knew how to write a letter." She murmured in appreciation. Clearing her throat, she read a portion of the letter aloud. "I have been astonished that men could die martyrs for religion, I have shuddered at it. I shudder no more - I could be martyr'd for my religion. Love is my religion. I could die for that. I could die for you. My creed is love and you are its only tenet - you have ravish'd me away by a power I can't resist." Claudia released an impressed whistle.

"John Keats' letter to Fanny Brawne." Helena sighed. "Yes, it's lovely. But can we please focus on the problem at hand?"

"No problem! There's no problem at all!" Claudia pulled a static bag out of her pocket, shaking it open with one hand as she picked up the letter with the other. A flash of sparks momentarily blinded them when she dropped the letter in.

"Do you think it will work?" Helena spoke softly.

"I guess we'll find out."

Helena did not appear comforted. Claudia gave her a forced smile, and tried another tactic to put her idol's mind at ease.

"On the bright side, the artifact won't have any effect on you! It's not like you.." Claudia trailed off, quickly losing her train of thought as Helena flinched at her words. They sat there in silence for a few moments before Claudia's eyes widened. "Myka! Oh god! You.. and the.. Oh!"

Helena dropped her forehead to the steering wheel with a groan. A car honked at them as it drove around their stopped vehicle, reminding them that they were in fact stopped in the middle of the street. With a sigh Helena got them moving again. They drove in silence for awhile. The hacker regarded her friend, chewing nervously on her bottom lip.

"I can feel you staring at me, you know." Helena spared a sideways glance in the young woman's direction. "What is it?"

"I just.." Claudia hesitated. "If the artifact does work it's mojo on you.. It probably won't, because it was just a tiny little paper cut and we neutralized the artifact. But, if the artifact still does its thing, I don't think Myka will be as opposed to what you have to say to her as you think."

Helena's grip tightened on the wheel. When she spoke, her voice was tense.  
"Perhaps not. But I'd like to have that conversation with her at a time of our choosing. Not because some idiotic reporter contaminated me with an artifact."

There wasn't anything Claudia could say to that. They drove the rest of the way in silence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Housekeeping notes:  
>  ~~I'm assuming someone at some point taught Helena how to drive. Or she taught herself. I can't imagine her NOT jumping at the chance to drive. And for some reason the thought of Claudia driving around London made me nervous.~~ _Just remembered Helena does in fact drive on the show._  
>  Also - I realize that the warehouse would most likely ignore this artifact. It's not dangerous, and isn't hurting anyone. Uh.. It was a slow week? Stranger things have happened! I just wanted to point out that yes, I do realize it would most likely be ignored. I just don't _care_. It's a nice little tool for the purposes of my story.
> 
> Feedback would be appreciated! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sound of the hotel room door opening brought Helena's pacing to a halt. A deer in the headlights, she froze as Myka entered the room.

They were waiting in the larger hotel room for Pete and Myka to arrive. Helena had managed to sit on the couch for almost a full five minutes before she jumped to her feet and started to pace. Claudia could practically see the tension rolling off her in waves, like heat rising from the pavement. The sound of the hotel room door opening brought Helena's pacing to a halt. A deer in the headlights, she froze as Myka entered the room.

"You have it?" Myka asked.

Claudia held up the sealed static bag, giving it a slight shake. Pete rubbed his hands together happily.

"Alright! Who wants to call Grumpy Bear and give him the good news?"

Helena hadn't moved, hadn't spoken, and also hadn't taken her eyes off of Myka. Every muscle in her body tensed as she tried to figure out if she felt any differently, if she could feel _anything_ that might be attributed to the artifact's influence. Myka glanced between Claudia and Helena, a small frown forming.  
"What's wrong?"

"Er.. Well, there was a bit of a.. complication?" Claudia looked towards Helena, hoping the older agent would explain what had happened. But Helena still hadn't moved.

Pete took a cautious step forward.  
"Is she ok?" Pete reached out to poke the frozen woman. Helena fell back a step, slapping his hand away.

"What happened?!" Myka exclaimed, starting to worry. Helena winced at the tinge of panic in her voice. When it became clear that Helena wasn't going to explain anything, Myka whirled to face the youngest member of their team. "Claudia!"

"H.G might have, accidentally.. That is, the jerk.. I mean.." Claudia tripped over her words, unable to form a complete thought under Myka's intense gaze.

Helena took a deep breath, her hand nervously running through her hair as she forced out a laugh.  
"It's alright. _I'm_ alright. I feel.. fine."

Claudia flashed her a grin.  
"See? I told you!"

Myka was still suspiciously glancing between them.  
"Why wouldn't you feel fine?"

Helena didn't say anything, and Claudia was doing her best to avoid eye contact. Pete twitched. He was getting a vibe. Not a bad one, but not a good one either. It felt like a low volt of electricity pulsing under his skin. He was eager to escape, but couldn't bring himself to leave Claudia behind. The girl looked as uncomfortable as he felt.

Pete managed to catch Claudia's eye. He nodded his head towards the door.  
"So... Artie?"

Claudia's face lit up.  
"Yes! Artie! Can't keep the old man waiting. Let's go, Pete!" Claudia quickly grabbed the chance to escape, pushing Pete towards the door as she fled.

Myka blinked, surprised, as Pete and Claudia made themselves scarce. She eventually turned her attention from the closed door, and went back to examining the other woman. Myka was surprised to see Helena had moved closer while her attention had been fixed on the door. Myka resisted the impulse to take a step back, and Helena chuckled at the look on her face.

"Really, darling. I'm fine. Nothing to worry about."

"But why wouldn't you be fine?" Myka repeated her earlier question.

The amusement on Helena's face slowly gave way to a look Myka didn't know how to describe. Dark eyes softened as Helena smiled at her.  
"You're so beautiful." Helena murmured.

Myka's eyes widened in surprise.  
"..Thank you?" She managed, unsure how to respond. Myka frowned at her. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"I feel better than alright." Helena took another step towards the taller agent. This time Myka gave in to her impulses and fell back a step.

"Helena?"

It was the concern in Myka's voice that brought the inventor back to herself. Panic flashed in her eyes and Myka reached out for her, automatically trying to soothe her. Helena stumbled back, desperately trying to avoid being touched. She could feel it now. The intoxicating sensation that she chalked up to her exposure to the artifact. Helena's heart rate spiked as she realized bagging the letter hadn't helped. The fact that it was just a paper cut, and not full on contact, was probably the only thing allowing her to remain in control.

Except she wasn't in control. Not even a little bit. Helena fell to her knees as the artifact tried to overwhelm her. Every cell in her body was aching, straining, reaching, screaming with longing for the curly haired beauty before her. Myka followed her, kneeling in front of Helena, unsure of what to do. Anyone else and Myka would have already connected the dots. She would have realized what was happening. But the panic gripping her heart kept her from thinking clearly. Myka reached forward, brushing the hair out of Helena's eyes and tucking it behind the delicate shell of her ear. Helena leaned into the touch, sighing as her last defenses crumbed and she gave herself over to the artifact. She was powerless to stop it, she knew that. So she stopped fighting. Helena raised her head slowly, meeting Myka's concerned gaze. She licked her lips nervously before reciting the words burned into her temporal lobe.

"I cannot exist without you - I am forgetful of everything but seeing you again. My life seems to stop there. I see no further. You have absorb'd me." Helena's eyes fluttered closed so she wouldn't have to witness the moment Myka understood. She breathed the next line of the letter softly. "I have a sensation at the present moment as though I were dissolving."

Myka gasped, finally comprehending what had happened. She had long ago memorized a series of letters known to be at large in the world. There was a complete listing in the Warehouse manual, and she had an eidetic memory. Myka easily recognized the words falling from Helena's lips.

"John Keats." She breathed. "You touched John Keats' letter. Oh, Helena." Myka gently cupped the inventor's cheek, brushing away the few tears that had escaped her.

"I'm so sorry, Myka." Helena murmured. "This isn't how I would have ever wanted to tell you.." Her voice trailed off.

Myka couldn't help the way her heart stuttered in her chest.  
"Tell me what?"

Helena opened her eyes slowly, pinning Myka with her gaze.  
"That I love you. That I cherish you above all else in this wretched world. That I long for nothing more each time I see you than to take you in my arms and kiss you senseless." Helena's eyes, already impossibly dark, managed to darken further. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, dearest."

Myka's breathing hitched as Helena turned her head ever so slightly. Without releasing Myka from her gaze, Helena placed a gentle kiss into the center of her palm. Myka shuddered, her heart racing.

"The artifact." Myka murmured. Her brain seemed to be running on a bit of a delay. Though, given the way Helena was looking at her, it was to be expected.

Helena sighed, pulling away. "Yes, the blasted artifact." Helena groaned. "Gods, Myka. You can't imagine what it did to me, this morning. Waking up beside you. What it's doing to me, right now, to be this close to you!" The words flowed effortlessly, and Helena was unable to stop them. "You drive me insane, Myka. In the most deliciously wonderful ways. Even now, horrified by what you must think of me, I can't help but..." Helena was cut off mid sentence as Myka leaned forward and captured her lips in a heartbreakingly gentle kiss.

The tender moment stretched between them, fragile as a soap bubble. Myka's hand fisted at the back of Helena's neck, tangling in her hair as Myka pulled her impossibly closer. Helena's tongue flicked lightly across Myka's lower lip, making Myka whimper softly as she parted her lips at Helena's silent request. And, like that, the moment broke apart. With that one barely audible whimper, what little self restraint they had was shattered. Helena pulled back slightly, catching Myka's eyes with her own. A silent question hung in the air between them, and Myka's lips quirked upwards before she pulled Helena back towards her. That was all the encouragement Helena needed.

* * *

Pete and Claudia were sitting on Pete's bed, backs against the headboard, legs stretched out in front of them. In an unconscious attempt to give their friends as much privacy as possible they'd settled on the bed furthest from the door. Pete had found Terminator playing on one of the local stations, and they sat there vaguely watching it.

"What do you think is happening?" Pete said after awhile, his gaze darting to the door and back to the TV screen.

Claudia had filled him in on the paper cut, and it had been awhile since they fled from their friend's hotel room. Long enough that Pete was starting to wonder if Helena had been contaminated after all.

"Dude, I'm trying _very_  hard to not think about what might be happening." Claudia muttered, focusing intently on the movie.

They sat in silence for a moment longer, both sets of eyes glued to the TV screen. It took them a few minutes to realize they were hearing something other than the movie. The tips of Claudia's ears turned bright red as an unmistakable moan filtered from across the hall. Pete's eyes widened.

"Sounds like someone knows what they're doing." He sounded impressed. "What do you think.."

"PETE!" Claudia exclaimed, interrupting before he could finish his thought. "No. Not cool, man. **NOT** cool!" The young woman snatched the remote out of his hand, cranking the volume up to full blast.

* * *

Helena collapsed against Myka, completely boneless, moaning softly as Myka withdrew her fingers. They'd never made it to the bed. Thankfully the carpet was soft and welcoming. Myka's hands roamed up the smooth expanse of Helena's back, dragging her nails lightly up the older woman's spine and leaving a damp trail behind. Helena released a near purr of pleasure at the feeling, turning her head to tease the hollow of Myka's throat with teeth and tongue. Myka hissed, arching her back at the spike of pleasure that shot through her as Helena nipped at the smooth expanse of her throat. Helena grinned wickedly, her fingers trailing down Myka's abdomen to tangle in sodden curls.

Helena released a throaty chuckle as the younger woman's hips canted towards her.  
"Ready again, Darling? So soon?"

"God yes." Myka groaned, pressing her nails into Helena's back as she tried to pull her closer. She whimpered softly as Helena continued with teasing, feather light touches.

Helena swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, as she watched Myka come unraveled beneath her once again.  
"Tell me what you need, love." She murmured, leaning down to trace the shell of Myka's ear with her tongue.

"You, Helena." Myka shivered as Helena shifted against her. "I need _you_. Oh God.. please." The younger woman whimpered for a second time as she felt Helena's slick heat against her thigh.

Helena caught Myka's lips in a searing kiss as she stopped teasing her. She played Myka like a finely tuned instrument, relishing the feeling of Myka's lithe body arched against her own.

"Fuck!" Myka hissed, pulling her mouth away from Helena's with a gasp. "There. Right there."

Helena moaned, Myka's breathless tone making her insides clench. She circled Myka's clit with her thumb as she increased the pace of her thrusts. Myka shuddered, head falling back against the carpet, her hips rising to match Helena's rhythm. Helena rode Myka's thigh to her own release as the younger woman came apart in her arms with a wordless cry. The tightening of her muscles, drawing Helena even deeper, was all it took to send Helena tumbling over the edge after her.

They lay together on the floor for a long time, trading soft touches and feather light kisses. Helena finally rolled onto her back, pulling Myka against her side as she did. Blindly reaching towards the bed, Helena tugged the comforter down to the floor. In that moment she seriously doubted her ability to move, and it sounded like Myka had already slipped into sleep, so they wouldn't be relocating to the comfort of the bed anytime soon. Careful not to jostle the beautiful woman laying on her, Helena wrapped the comforter around them. She lost track of time as she lay there, tracing nonsensical patterns across Myka's back, before she too fell asleep.

* * *

A strong knock on the door jolted them awake.  
"Myka! Helena! Stop sexing and open the door!" Pete's voice filtered from the hallway.

Helena laughed as Myka buried her head in her hands, groaning. When the younger agent glanced up at her there was a blush creeping it's way across her cheeks that Helena found rather endearing.

"It seems duty calls, darling Myka." Helena brushed her lips softly against her lover's.

"We could just ignore him." Myka suggested, a mischievous look in her eyes.

" **I CAN HEAR YOU!** " Pete shouted.

"Alright! Just a minute!" Myka replied loudly. With twin sighs of regret they both glanced around the room looking for clothes that had been carelessly flung aside earlier.

Helena opened the door, smiling at Pete and Claudia.  
"Sorry to keep you waiting, do come in." With a mock bow she held the door open for the pair.

Pete laughed as they entered the hotel room.  
"Your shirt is inside out, Mykes."

Myka blinked, glancing down at her torso and back up at Pete. She could feel her face warming as she blushed a second time.

"How strange," Helena said with feigned innocence. "I wonder how that happened."

Myka shot her a glare, making Helena laugh loudly. Claudia, ears burning, tried to steer their conversation to warehouse business.

"I spoke with Artie and we're booked on the first plane out of here tomorrow morning Leena left for home earlier today she should be back in a few weeks and he made me promise we wouldn't burn down the B&B without Leena there to cook for us." Claudia spoke quickly without pausing to take a breath.

Pete gave her an amused look before turning to Helena. "C'mon H.G, let's go pick something up for lunch."

"That sounds wonderful. I'm _famished_." Helena winked at Myka as she grabbed her coat and they headed for the door.

"Yeah, I just bet you are." Pete laughed.

* * *

Pete didn't waste any time. They'd barely left the hotel before he was speaking his mind. Helena turned to face him with an amused expression as he stopped walking. Helena knew why he'd invited her out into the cold to find food for the team when there was room service and a hotel restaurant available to them. But her amused half smile vanished once Helena saw the way Pete was looking at her. Pete Lattimer had always seemed to be a bit of a buffoon. He was childish, inappropriate, and prone to almost getting killed by artifacts. Helena had trouble taking him seriously. But the look he was giving her made her pause. He reminded her of a lion watching a gazelle.

"There are two things you need to understand, Helena." It was the first time Pete had called her by her first name.

Helena folded her arms across her chest and waited for him to continue. Pete regarded her for a moment to make sure he had her full attention. Satisfied that she seemed to be listening, and understood by his tone that this going to be a serious conversation, he continued.

"First off, I don't care that you could probably kill me with your bare hands in at least 8 different ways." Helena smirked, she couldn't help it. Pete narrowed his eyes at her, and she let the expression fall away.

"Let me be very clear. If you ever, **EVER** hurt her? It'll be the last thing you do. You seem to make Myka happy. And I'm willing to give you a chance. I think you care about her a lot. But I love her. She's my partner, my _family_. I will always be looking out for her. And if you break her heart, so help me God, I will make you wish you'd never been unbronzed." Pete's eyes were hard, and she didn't doubt for a moment that he meant every word. This was no idle threat.

Helena inclined her head slightly in silent acceptance of what he'd just said. "What is the second thing?"

And here was the Pete Lattimer Helena had come to know. His entire body language transformed as his eyes sparkled in amusement.

"Secondly, you need to invest in three pairs of earplugs. Because we heard you from _across the hall_ at a hotel! A place where the walls are thick and almost soundproof. Unless you want me, Claudia, and Leena to know exactly how happy the two of you make each other?" Pete wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively.

Helena laughed loudly, linking her arm with Pete's as she steered him back towards their destination.  
"Duly noted, Agent Lattimer. Duly noted."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was browsing the WH13 page today looking for something to read, and it made me sad because there are dozens of WIP fics I'm dying to start reading. But I can't bring myself to start another WIP fic. This, of course, made me think of my own WIP fic. It also made me feel like _a bit_ of a hypocrite. So, here we are! Just a short chapter today, hoping to have another up by the end of the weekend.
> 
> Thanks for reading, leaving kudos, and comments. It's appreciated :) Enjoy!

Life at the warehouse went on as normal. Aside from the fact that Leena wasn't around and they almost burnt down the B&B a few times before Artie forbid them from making any food in Leena's absence. The last straw had been when Pete tried to make a grilled cheese sandwich. _Using the toaster._ He'd put the processed cheese in between two slices of bread, buttered the outside of the sandwich, crammed it into the toaster, and then wandered away to check the mail. So they were now ordering all of their meals. It was costing the warehouse a small fortune, but it was cheaper than replacing the B &B so Artie didn't complain. Not too much, at least.

Aside from that, and the chance of walking in on Myka and H.G making out, or overhearing them at their most intimate, life was as normal as it ever got for them. No one bothered to mention to Artie that Myka and H.G were seeing one another. Artie still wasn't H.G's biggest fan, to put it mildly, and no one wanted to put themselves at the mercy of his misplaced rage. Thankfully he could be rather oblivious. The fact that he didn't have a room at the B&B didn't hurt either. So keeping it to themselves wasn't hard.

The lives of the warehouse agents continued as usual. They snagged. They bagged. They tagged. They laughed and bickered with one another. They missed Leena, they harassed Artie to no end, and they did inventory. Myka and Helena's relationship progressed steadily, and after a couple of weeks Myka was feeling bad about leaving Artie in the dark. Helena managed to convince her to at least wait until Leena got home so they could tell them both at once. She also pointed out that Artie would be less likely to try and harm her if there was a witness present, making Myka laugh and agree. Leena's trip had been extended, and she was going to be away for 6 weeks instead of the 3 weeks she had originally planned. So Myka and Helena had a bit of time to continue to bask in the glow of their new relationship before opening it up to Artie's criticisms. Unfortunately about a week before Leena was expected home their cozy normal lives went right out the window. Myka got very sick, very quickly, and the warehouse family became extremely concerned.

It started midway through an assignment. Myka and Pete were in Paxton, FL looking for an artifact behind a sudden outbreak of people stabbing their spouses in the middle of the night. After a fruitless day of investigating they stopped into a local diner for some dinner. Myka, having spent the day feeling queasy and nauseated, ordered just some chicken noodle soup. Pete, being Pete, ordered a couple chili dogs with a side of onion rings. Myka was fine until their food arrived. At which point the smell of Pete's dinner had her running for the exit. Pete caught up with her just in time to hold her hair out of the way as she emptied the contents of her stomach in the alley next to the diner. He handed his partner a napkin he'd grabbed on his way out the door as she stood.

"You ok, Mykes?" Pete gently rubbed her back and Myka leaned into him.

"I've been feeling off all day. I must have caught that flu that's been going around." Myka's stomach flip-flopped at the thought of going back in and facing Pete's dinner. "I think I'm just going to head back to the hotel."

"Ok, no problem! Let me just pay and we can get out of here."

"No, I can find my way back. Stay. Finish your dinner, I'll be fine." Myka gave him a shaky smile. Pete frowned at her. He opened his mouth to argue, but Myka didn't give him the chance.

"Really Pete, I'll be fine. Go eat."

Pete glanced over his shoulder, looking through the window at their dinner.  
"I can get it to go." He tried again.

The thought of driving back to the hotel together, the smell of Pete's food thick in the air, made her go green. Myka put a hand over her stomach and she took a deep breath as she tried very hard to keep from throwing up again. his frown deepened.

Pete kissed the top of her head before turning to go back inside.  
"Wait here. I'll be right back. I'm not letting you walk back to the hotel."

With a sigh Myka leaned against the building to wait for her partner. He wasn't gone long, quickly reappearing with a takeout bag and a plastic drink container.

"I had them pack up your soup, grabbed some crackers, and I got you a ginger ale. It should help settle your stomach." Pete moved Myka towards their rental with a gentle hand on her back.

"But you're starving." Myka blinked at him. "What about your food?"

"And make you drive back to the hotel smelling it? Nah, I can get something from room service." Pete smiled at his friend.

Myka returned the smile, charmed by his thoughtfulness. Once in the car and buckled up, Myka leaned back against the headrest and closed her eyes. So she missed the worried look Pete gave her. As long as he'd known her, Myka had never had anything worse than the sniffles. She had a ridiculous immune system and simply didn't get sick. Pete drove carefully, making sure to avoid hitting any potholes and jostling his passenger. After a minute Myka's breathing changed as she fell asleep.

* * *

By the time they made it home a couple days later, Myka had gotten worse. She was sick more and more often. She'd become very sensitive to odor and the smallest things set off her stomach. She also had some lovely headaches, and barely had any energy. Helena, having been warned by Pete, met them at the airport. Myka took one look at her girlfriend's concerned face and turned to glare at her partner.

"You weren't telling her. She has a right to know." Pete defended himself. "Besides, it's not like she wouldn't have noticed!"

Myka sighed, turning her attention back to Helena as they reached her. Helena wrapped her arms around the taller agent, hugging her tightly.  
"How are you feeling, darling?"

"Tired." Myka admitted, resting her chin on Helena's shoulder.

Helena gave her one more squeeze before pulling away.  
"Let's get you home and into bed then." The inventor took Myka's carry on bag from her and lead the way to the airport parking lot.

* * *

"I do wish you'd let us take you to the doctor." Helena sighed.

Though it was still early in the afternoon, they were laying in Myka's bed. Myka had gone to lie down complaining of another headache, and Helena had followed. She'd coaxed Myka out of her shirt and bra, settled the younger woman on her stomach in the middle of the bed, and was now resting comfortably on the swell of Myka's rear as she gently massaged her back. Myka hummed in pleasure as Helena kneaded the stress from her tired muscles.

"I'll be fine." Myka insisted, sighing happily. "I feel better already."

Helena leaned forward, leaving a trail of open mouth kisses across Myka's shoulders. She smiled into Myka's skin as the younger woman released a quiet moan.

"That feels nice." Myka murmured.

"What if we called Vanessa?" Helena tried again, not quite ready to admit defeat.

"I'm sure she has more important things to worry about than my flu bug."

"And why are you so certain it's the flu?" Helena pushed. "No one else has gotten sick. If it was a contagious illness, at the very least I should be feeling ill."

"Helena, please. I'm fine."

Helena released a frustrated sigh as she went back to massaging Myka's shoulders.  
"You're so stubborn." Helena muttered.

Myka laughed loudly.  
" _I'm_ stubborn?" She turned her head to catch Helena's eye. "You're one to talk."

"Hush." Helena smiled as she moved her hands into Myka's hair and massaged her scalp.

Myka's eyes fluttered closed, a low groan falling from her lips. Helena shivered at the sound.

"I need you to stop doing that, darling." Helena scolded her.

"Doing what?" Myka smiled into her pillow.

"You know exactly what."

"It's your own fault."

Helena's fingers stilled, and she went to get up.  
"Alright then."

Myka's eyes flew open.  
"No, I'm sorry. I'll be good." Myka insisted quickly.

Helena smirked as she settled onto Myka's lower back and returned her nimble fingers to Myka's scalp. Myka released another hum of pleasure, her eyes drifting closed once more.

"That really does feel amazing." Myka spoke softly.

"I know." Helena smiled at her, though Myka couldn't see it. "Get some rest, love. I'll be here when you wake."


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is half as long as I wanted it to be. But my wife infected me with her cold/flu/death plague.. thing. I figure a short chapter is better than no chapter, so this will have to do for now. Will update asap. Thanks for reading!

"Guess who I found at the airport!" Pete called loudly as he entered the B&B with Leena in tow.

"Leena!" Claudia called as she came running from the direction of the living room. "Welcome home! Don't _ever_ leave us again." She threw her arms around the older woman hugging her tightly.

Leena laughed, hugging Claudia just as tight.  
"I'll try not to. How long did it take Artie to revoke your cooking privileges?"

"Four days." Claudia glared at Pete.

"What!" Pete exclaimed. "How was I supposed to know you can't make a grilled cheese sandwich using the toaster?"

Leena gaped at him in horror. "You didn't!"

"Oh, he did." Claudia shook her head. "He suuuuuure did. It's a miracle we're still alive."

"Are you really surprised?" Artie asked, joining them in the hallway.

They moved deeper into the house as they spoke, and Helena smiled at the foursome as they entered the kitchen where she was enjoying a cup of tea.

"Welcome home, Leena. How is your mother doing?"

"Much better, thank you Helena. How.." Whatever Leena had been going to ask was instantly forgotten as Myka wandered into the room. The innkeeper's mouth dropped in surprise and her eyes widened.

"Hey Leena, glad you're home." Myka smiled at her.

"Myka.. you're.. when did.. how...?" Leena tripped over her words, unable to form a sentence. she spent a few dazed moments blinking at the curly haired agent before her face split into an extra large smile. She rushed forward and gave her friend a big hug.

"Congratulations, Myka!" Leena exclaimed, squeezing her tightly. She was still smiling after stepping back.

Myka looked confused.  
"Uh.. thank you? What are you congratulating me on?"

"Your pregnancy?" Leena laughed, sparing a smile for Helena as well. "I had no idea you two were in a relationship, never mind starting a family."

Five faces froze in shock. Myka and Helena stared at Leena with wide eyes and twin expressions of surprise. Artie, Pete, and Claudia's attention was a bit more divided. Their gazes skipped from Leena to Myka, from Myka to Helena, and from Helena back to Leena. They all found their voices at once.

"My WHAT?!"

"What the bloody hell.."

"Ohmygod! _OHMYGOD!_ "

"I'm going to be an uncle!"

"You're in a **RELATIONSHIP?!** " Artie's voice thundered at full volume, effectively drowning out his agents and stopping Pete midway through his happy dance.

"Yeah, that's really **NOT** the most important part of what she just said." Myka snapped at him. Her attention shifted back to Leena. "I'm _not_ pregnant! It's physically impossible for me to be pregnant!"

Leena glanced in between Helena and Myka, confused.  
"You didn't know."

"I don't think you're hearing me." Myka tried again, hysteria creeping into her voice. "There is absolutely _**NO**_   way I'm pregnant!"

"How can you tell?" Helena sounded calmer than her girlfriend, but her eyes were wild.

"It's all over her aura." Leena explained. "And your auras are.. mingled. There's no mistaking it, the only place you see an aura like this is on pregnant women. The aura overlapping the mother's always belongs to the father. I don't know how you pulled it off, Helena, but you managed to get Myka pregnant."

Artie was already pulling out his farnsworth.  
"We need you at the warehouse, immediately." He spoke into the device as Vanessa's face appeared on the screen.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Vanessa frowned at the urgency in his voice.

"I.." Artie trailed off, unsure how to explain. "Just get here quickly."

"I'll be there as soon as possible." Vanessa promised.

* * *

True to her word, Vanessa was there in no time. Less than 3 hours after Artie called she was agreeing with Leena's earlier statement.

"Congratulations Myka, you are absolutely pregnant." Vanessa gave her a warm smile before turning her attention back to the artifact in her hands. "About 6 weeks it looks like." Myka managed to make a strangled sound, but actual words failed her. Helena paled, blinking furiously as she tried to wrap her mind around what Vanessa was telling them.

"How is this even possible?" Claudia asked, tilting her head to the side as she examined Myka and Helena.

"With an artifact, obviously." Artie snapped. "We have to find it and neutralize it immediately. Six weeks ago you were in England, so we just need to.."

Artie was cut off by Myka's strangled exclamation as her brain processed what he'd just said.  
"Excuse me? We have to what?!"

Artie frowned at her.  
"We have to neutralize it. Before this pregnancy gets any further along." Helena paled even further at his words. "The question is, was it an artifact that you or Helena handled? Or something you both touched?"

"What makes you think this is your decision?" Myka demanded, incredulously.

Artie's frown deepened.  
"You can't tell me you  **want** to have this woman's child? Forgetting for a moment how monumentally  _stupid_ it was to begin a relationship with her. Now you want to, what? Let this disaster run it's course? We neutralize artifacts Myka, that's what we do! You think it'll be easier when you're nine months pregnant? Or when you have a baby? Or when the child is five?" Artie's voice rose as he spoke and by the time he'd finished he was yelling.

It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. In the moment after Artie's outburst no one else in the room made a sound. The first person to break the silence was Myka. Artie watched as her expression shifted from shock, to hurt, back to shock again. And then, ever so slowly, her shock morphed into fury. Her face was transformed into a mask of anger so fierce her friends each took a step back.

"How _dare_ you." Myka breathed. Though she was speaking very softy, her voice was filled with a rage that left no doubt as to how she was feeling. "Artie, listen to me **very** carefully. Because I am not going to repeat myself. Whatever Helena and I choose to do, that is what is going to happen. This isn't your decision. This isn't your business. And it certainly isn't your right to decide **FOR ME** what I do and do not want. Now get the fuck out of my way before I do something I am going to regret."

Stunned, Artie could only move aside so Myka could leave the room. Myka grabbed Helena's hand squeezing it tightly as she left the room and pulled the older agent with her.

* * *

The stunned silence didn't last long. Within moments of Myka storming from the room with H.G in tow, Artie's anger flared to new heights.  
"How  **dare** she speak to me like that?!" He bellowed, hoping Myka could hear him.

Claudia knew what was coming next, because she knew the way that Artie's mind worked. Pete must have been anticipating the same thing. They both were backing away very slowly, trying to make it out the door and into the hall before Artie took the next logical step. Unfortunately, they didn't move fast enough. Artie whirled to face them, eyes sparking.

"You knew! The two of you **knew**! How could you keep this from me? That woman has been manipulating Myka for WEEKS! And you knew about it! Can't you see that she's turning Myka against us? I wouldn't be surprised if she planed this. I don't know what her end game is, I don't know what she hopes to get from this. But she's up to something!"

"Artie." Leena put her hand on his arm trying to calm him, but he ignored her.

Leena wasn't watching Artie. She was watching Claudia. And Pete. Artie was so wrapped up in his rage that he didn't notice the effect it was having on his agents. So, when Claudia finally broke, it caught Artie off guard.

"Stop it!" It wasn't the anger that caught his attention. It was the way Claudia's words frayed at the edges. "H.G isn't up to ANYTHING! You don't know what you're talking about. And Myka is right. You don't get to make this decision for them. I love you Artie, but you're being a really big asshole right now." Claudia turned and left the room without giving him a chance to respond.

Artie blinked after her, watching as she disappeared around the corner.

"It doesn't matter anyway." Pete's voice was steady, not filled with the anger Claudia, Myka, or Artie had displayed. But the look he gave his boss wasn't friendly. "There's no point in arguing about it. We still need to figure out what did this, and where it is, before anyone can decide anything."

Artie's voice was cold. "It's already been decided, Pete."

Pete didn't offer a response. He just sighed and followed Claudia. Leena gave Artie a sad shake of her head as she too left the room. Artie was flabbergasted. He couldn't believe they were acting as if he were the bad guy here. Artie turned towards Vanessa, looking for someone to agree with him.

Vanessa put up a hand, stopping whatever he was about to say.  
"Pete has a point. You need to drop this for now."

"But I'm right!" Artie sputtered. "Surely you of all people can see that?"

"It doesn't matter if I agree with you or not, Artie. It doesn't change the fact that it's just a pointless argument. And we have more important things to worry about right now." Vanessa glanced towards the hallway where the rest of the team had disappeared. "I need to find Myka and finish her exam."

Artie sighed. "Fine. Go. See if you can talk some sense into her. I'll be at the warehouse checking the database if you need me. The sooner we find this thing the better."

* * *

Myka slammed her bedroom door behind them as Helena collapsed onto the bed. Myka was still fuming. She growled as she paced the floor, furious with Artie and the way he'd reacted. They stayed like that for a few minutes before something occurred to Myka. She came to a sudden stop, turning to face Helena. The other woman looked like she was a million miles away. Eyes wide and unblinking, she sat there with a death grip on the locket around her neck. Myka worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she observed her girlfriend.

"Helena?"

Helena's eyes snapped to Myka's at the tone of her voice. There wasn't any fury left. Myka had run out of anger. All that was left in it's place was fear, and a bone deep exhaustion. Helena blinked at her.

"You haven't said anything."

Helena bit the inside of her lip, watching Myka for a moment before responding.  
"What is there to say?"

"Um.. there's a lot to say. What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking this doesn't seem like a situation I have any control over. I'm thinking Arthur will do what he wants, consequences be damned." Helena's grip on her locket tightened. "How do you feel about this? I was under the impression you didn't have any desire for children."

"I don't know." Myka sighed. "It's.. a lot to take in."

Helena released a hollow bark of laughter.  
"That might be the understatement of the century, darling."

Myka folded in upon herself, arms wrapping around her waist. "I don't know what to do. I don't know how I'm supposed to be feeling right now." Her voice sounded so small and lost, it almost broke Helena's heart.

Helena pushed herself off the bed and took the few steps needed to stand next to Myka. She hesitated for just a moment before wrapping the younger woman in her arms. Myka's breathing hitched and Helena's heart clenched in shared pain.

"We'll figure it out." Helena murmured, tightening her hold. "I promise you, Myka, it'll be ok."

Myka didn't respond to that. She didn't point out that this wasn't a promise Helena could keep. There was a list of things that could go wrong flying through her mind, and it was endless. But she didn't say anything. She didn't call Helena on the lie. What would be the point? Myka closed her eyes, arms wrapping around Helena. They would take this one step at a time, and they would do it together.

"We'll figure it out." Myka echoed. Helena squeezed her tightly in silent agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I took some creative liberties with Myka's aura. I have no idea if that is in fact how it would look to Leena. Honestly, I just didn't have the energy to research it. Please forgive my laziness. I blame the plague.


	5. Chapter 5

"We'll figure it out." Helena murmured, tightening her hold. "I promise you, Myka, it'll be ok."

Myka didn't respond to that. She didn't point out that this wasn't a promise Helena could keep. There was a list of things that could go wrong flying through her mind, and it was endless. But she didn't say anything. She didn't call Helena on the lie. What would be the point? Myka closed her eyes, arms wrapping around Helena. They would take this one step at a time, and they would do it together.

"We'll figure it out." Myka echoed. Helena squeezed her tightly in silent agreement.

A soft knock on the bedroom door drew their attention. "Guys?" Claudia's muffled voice came from the hallway.

Myka glanced at Helena who shrugged. "Come in, Claud." Myka called.

Claudia slipped into the room, closing the door softly behind her. She stood just inside the room for a minute fidgeting.

"Artie is a jackass." She eventually muttered, making the other women smile.

"Yes, he really is." Helena agreed.

Claudia crossed the room in a few quick steps and threw her arms around them. Myka and Helena were still standing close enough that she could hug the two of them at the same time. They automatically hugged her back.

"Congratulations." Claudia told them. She pulled away when both Myka and Helena tensed at her words. Claudia blinked at them, confused. "Wait, this is a good thing, yeah?"

Myka and Helena exchanged a brief look. Myka looked away first, her eyes downcast. Helena sighed, making Claudia frown.

"It's.. a bit more complicated than that, darling." Helena told her softly.

Claudia didn't have a chance to push the subject further. A quick knock announced the arrival of Pete and Leena. Pete didn't wait for a response, he simply pushed the door open and ushered the innkeeper inside before closing the door behind them.

"I'm so sorry." Leena apologized. "I thought you knew. I shouldn't have said anything."

Pete scoffed. "It's not your fault that Artie over reacted."

"Pete's right, you don't have anything to be sorry for." Myka gave her a small smile as she sat on the edge of her bed. "At least now we know why I've been so sick."

"I told you it wasn't the flu." Helena muttered as she sat down next to Myka.

"Myka?" Vanessa called from the hallway. "Do you mind if I come in?"

Pete glanced at Myka and opened the bedroom door when she nodded. Vanessa smiled as she stepped into the room.

"Full house." She commented. "Guys, would you mind giving us a moment?" Vanessa looked at Pete, Claudia and Leena in turn. They each glanced at the women sitting on the bed before turning to leave.

Vanessa closed the door once they'd filed out, turning to face Helena and Myka with a gentle smile on her face. "I didn't get a chance to finish your exam." Vanessa explained, setting her medical bag down on Myka's desk.

After a lot of poking and prodding, from both everyday medical instruments and a few artifacts, Vanessa spent some time questioning them on how Myka had been feeling lately. Myka tried to brush her recent sickness off as no big deal, but Helena painted a more accurate picture. By the end of the exam Vanessa did not look pleased.

"I'm going to recommend that you get pulled from active duty." Vanessa spoke as she added a note to Myka's file.

"What? Why?!" Myka exclaimed. "I'm _fine_!"

"No, Myka, you're really not." Vanessa frowned at her. "Your body is not reacting well to the pregnancy. And I can't tell if it's because it was caused by an artifact. We still don't know what caused this. We have no idea what the downside is."

"But..."

"I have a few Regents I need to visit for their annual checkups." Vanessa continued, not giving Myka a chance to argue with her. "I'll stop back in on my way home and see how you're doing."

Vanessa returned her instruments to her medical bag, adding one last note to Myka's file before putting it away as well. "Try and get her to take it easy." Vanessa told Helena as she picked up her bag.

"Easier said than done, I'm afraid." Helena commented, glancing at Myka as she did.

* * *

Vanessa, quite literally, ran into Pete, Leena, and Claudia in the hallway. She almost tripped over them as she exited Myka's bedroom. Vanessa frowned at their eavesdropping, though Leena was the only one who bothered to look chastised.

Leena went downstairs with Vanessa while Pete and Claudia wasted no time in rushing back into Myka's room. Vanessa left Leena with some very specific instructions as well as a list of supplements and vitamins they would need to purchase.

"They seemed a little.. overwhelmed." Vanessa said with a sigh. "I trust you can pick these up for me? And make sure Myka takes them?"

"Absolutely." Leena nodded, accepting the list.

"I should be back in a week or two. If anything, and I mean anything, comes up, call me."

"We'll take good care of her." Leena promised.

Vanessa smiled, squeezing the innkeeper's shoulder. "Of that I have no doubt."

* * *

Myka was complaining about being benched when Pete and Claudia re-entered her room. "I can't believe she's pulling me from the field." Myka sighed.

"On the bright side, you and I will get to spend more time together." Helena smiled at her. "Arthur rarely sends me out to collect artifacts."

"Ohhh!" Claudia rubbed her hands together. "Does this mean I get to go on missions? Am I the new Myka?"

"You'd have to increase your nerdiness by about 300%. And start banging an old Victorian author." Pete pointed out.

"PETE!" Myka exclaimed, outraged. She leapt to her feet, planning on giving him a good wallop, but she didn't get far.

Helena grabbed Myka's arm, giving her a strong yank backwards. The younger woman tumbled into her lap with a yelp, and Helena was quick to wrap her arms around Myka before she had a chance to escape.

"I believe you were told to 'take it easy'?" Helena murmured in her ear.

Pete and Claudia were laughing loudly at the look on Myka's face when Helena turned to look at them. Their laughter cut off rather abruptly, the expression on her face sucking all hilarity out of the situation.

"And the two of you, certainly, won't be doing anything that upsets Myka? Or encourages her to ignore Doctor Calder's recommendations?"

"No, of course not." Claudia agreed quickly. It was easy to forget sometimes that H.G was a terrifying person.

"Actually, we were just about to get her something to eat. Weren't we, Claud?"

"Absolutely!" Claudia nodded. "Something super delicious. Full of important, uh, nutrients.. and.. stuff."

Helena smiled at them. "Wonderful."

Helena relaxed her hold as Pete and Claudia vanished, allowing Myka to slip onto the bed beside her.

"I'm serious." Helena spoke as she turned to face Myka. "I expect you to listen to Vanessa and get some rest. Which means no 14 hour days at the warehouse."

Myka's first instinct was to argue with her. But there was something in the depths of Helena's eyes that made her hesitate. Something that looked a lot like panic, with a dash of terror and just a sprinkling of madness. Myka swallowed the argument that was on the tip of her tongue, sighing instead.

"Fine." Myka muttered.

The relief that took over Helena's features made Myka feel better about giving up without a fight. Helena raised her hand slowly, hesitantly, and placed it over Myka's stomach. There was still so much fear in her eyes. Myka covered Helena's hand with both of her own, squeezing gently.

"Hey, it's going to be ok." Myka insisted.

"Of course." Helena gave her a smile that didn't even come close to reaching her eyes. "Darling, would you mind if I took a quick shower? I'll be right back."

Myka nodded. "I'll be here. Uh, taking it easy."

Helena kissed her before rising and leaving the room. Myka sighed again, falling back against her mattress, hands resting over her stomach, as her brain jumped into overdrive.

* * *

Helena made it into the shower before falling apart. The death grip she had on her locket would have hurt if she'd been paying attention. But it couldn't compare to the pain radiating from within, so it was ignored. The running water covered her gasps as she fought to draw air into her lungs. Helena didn't know what terrified her more - The thought of having another child, the chance that Arthur might take the child away from them, or the fact that it was putting Myka's health at risk. She lost track of time as she stood there, and it was only the change in water temperature that brought her back to herself.

Helena turned off the water as it turned ice cold, though she stood shivering in the shower for a few moments longer. She didn't know if she was strong enough for this. Helena took a deep breath, forcing the hysteria into the deepest pit of her being. Myka _needed_ her to be strong enough. She finally released her locket, wincing at the pain that shot up her arm. The edges had cut into her palm. Helena cursed as she wiped the blood away from her most precious possession. A soft knock on the bathroom door startled her.

"Helena?" Leena called from the hallway. "Are you alright?"

"Perfectly fine." Helena lied, forcing a smile into her voice.

"Ok. I just.. I'm here. If you need to talk."

Helena didn't respond, and eventually she heard Leena head back downstairs. She closed her eyes, forcing yet another deep breath into her lungs. Helena exhaled slowly. She was fine. She was _fine_.


End file.
